Stay by my Side
by Ookami Chann
Summary: An alternate version of what happened to Anton and Sophia. [Set as Sophia was leaving Folsence.]


**OhMyGod! I'm in an upload a whole heap of stuff mood. And that's just what I'll do.**

**It's more Anton/Sophia- a twist on what happened to the couple 50 years ago.**

**I don't own Professor Layton.**

* * *

Stay by my Side

* * *

Anton just stood there, unmoving, unknowing. He just couldn't believe what he'd heard; what he'd seen.

His beloved Sophia, his girlfriend; had walked out. Bags in hand, coat buttoned up to the top- a kiss on his cheek and then the doors opened and slightly closed.

She was gone.

He'd tried to persuade her to stay…

… but she still left.

And he couldn't do anything to stop her.

"SOPHIA!" Anton cried to the door; slamming his fist onto the table nearby- which resulted in a vase falling to the cold marble tiles on the floor; creating a resounding echo.

"Master, please. Try to remain calm." Nigel tried to somewhat reason with the younger male.

"What's there to remain calm about? Sophia's leaving me. For some other guy! How can I be calm when she's telling me she still loves me but is leaving me! How Nigel! How?" the blonde haired man was almost shaking as he tried to hold back the vast amount of tears that still managed to fall down his cheeks.

Nigel sighed, he really wanted to help his master, and he wanted to be able to tell him that everything would be okay…

But he wasn't prepared to make a promise he wasn't sure could be kept.

So he kept quiet, and watched his master fall to the ground in a fit of both sadness and fury; with stoic eyes- he watched Anton punch the wall beside him, hurt his knuckles, holler than polite words into the empty halls (as his father wasn't home, and we all know that Freddie isn't home) and most of all, Nigel watched Anton possible lose all self control he had.

"Master, would you like me to get you a cup of tea?"

His question went unheard, and since nobody else was home- Nigel decided to leave the man on his own- however, had he stayed a little longer, he could've saw Anton steadily rise from his previous position and slowly walk out of the door.

* * *

The more Anton walked down, the less angry he felt. His head was all over the place, and he just couldn't piece together the puzzle.

'Has father said something?'

'Is it me?'

'Is it because of the strange illness?'

Questions similar or repeated floated through Anton's head and caused him to close his eyes in frustration.

"Excuse me son? Are you alright?" a strained voice whispered to him. Anton snapped his head up and turned to the woman. She didn't seem to be a local, so she had no idea who she was talking to; this made Anton incredibly happy- even in this situation.

He dried his eyes slightly and nodded. "Y-yeah. I'm okay. Don't m-mind me, are you looking for something?" he tried to seem normal but the older woman shook her head.

"Well no. I saw you crying dear, now why don't you tell me what's wrong- if it isn't too confidential; you may feel better for it." She suggested as she adjusted her glasses and shoved her hand into her cardigan pockets, pulling out a toffee sweet and holding it out to Anton.

'She's a kind woman…' Anton thought. 'Just like Sophia.' He gulped and hesitantly took the sweet from the woman whilst muttering a quiet "thank you".

Anton pursed his lips together and thought. "Um. Well. I uh- I knew this girl who was everything to me. She was kind, funny, smart, and treated me like my mother did ('before she died', he muttered that part)." He gave a slight paused to check if the woman really was listening or just staring into space.

"Go on." She ordered.

"Ah- well. I wanted to stay by her side forever, but she left; not in death, but she said 'there's someone else she loves, who needs her more than me'; but I got upset, and I just watched her leave. Now- she's probably gone and I don't know if she'll come back to me." He really didn't want to place his burden on a sweet old lady, she didn't deserve it.

But she didn't seem bored, or frustrated; in fact, she had a look of sympathy etched on her face, as if she knew exactly how he felt.

"I know that feeling son… betrayal, hurt, suffering. It's all a start; but there's always a solution. After all, every puzzle has an answer; but to find it- you need to confront it. Do you follow what I'm saying?" she finished as she let him take in the new information.

Anton kept shifting his gaze from left to right, anywhere but this woman's gaze; there was something about her that told him she was an observant lady.

"But how?" he felt almost stupid to ask, but he really needed to know, it could be any answer.

"Tell her how you feel; you need to let her know that."

'_But Sophia could be anywhere by now.'_

"Not necessarily. Do tell me boy, did this girl you speak of have long purple hair, and sparkling green eyes? Did she hold many bags and own a pink coat?"

"Sophia!"

"Ah. Okay, Sophia her name is? If you must know, go now. You seem like a fast runner, she passed a few moments ago. Go now, and don't make the same mistake I made- if you love her as dearly as your eyes speak; do not let her go without a fight… if you do, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Hurry boy!" the old lady smiled, she wasn't giving Anton a choice here.

And Anton knew she was definitely an observant lady... but she was his saviour too; so in simple words, he asked the lady her name-

"Maria."

-and he hugged her. "Thank you, ma'am. You're a life saver."

He couldn't guarantee what would happen, but as long as he knew Sophia was still nearby- his brain would act quickly, almost unrealistically and follow what his heart begged. He needed to see her.

So he ran, without a second thought, right until he reached the train station.

* * *

"Would all passengers please mind their step when boarding the train."

Sophia wanted to cry, but she couldn't stay here, not with the disease floating around. It could kill them.

She looked behind her, the photos littered around the station and the passageway that lead to the town square. All the memories she'd acquired here from being with Anton, but it had to end.

The bitter fantasy of a great life would have to be changed. She couldn't live her whole life a dream; reality was hard. And this was how she was learning, no matter how much she wished she didn't have to.

"Goodbye… Folsence. Farewell to you, my love. Please forgive me, but-

"Sophia! Sophia!"

"Ah, it's the Duke. Give him some space!"

"Quick, move out of the way."

"Will the train be delayed?"

"Sophia!"

Sophia shot her head up. 'That voice! Can it be?' her eyes started to widen on their own and her gaze turned to the source of noise.

Her breath stopped mid-throat as she saw a figure approaching her at a fast pace. "Sophia!" he called to her one last time.

"Anton!" she screamed, dropping her bags as uncontrollable tears fell. He ran up to her and just embraced her there and then- without a second thought (yet again, quick thinking). The crowds 'ooh-ed' and 'ah-ed' in joy as Sophia's arms found their way around Anton's neck.

"W-what are you doing here? Please, don't hate me…" she practically sobbed and begged in his shoulder as he just stood there.

"No. I won't hate you, but please. Don't go, not without answering one question I have. Give me atleast that much." He equally begged to her with pleading eyes and shaking hands.

Sophia wasn't sure what to expect, so she nodded- and just prayed she wouldn't say something she'd regret. "What questions… do you have?"

The crowds were half quiet, nosey and curious to know what was going on; all they knew was that it was emotional.

"What's the name? The person who's replacing me. I want to know the name of the luckiest person in the world." Anton whispered as he stroked Sophia's hair and ran his fingers down her long, silky locks.

Sophia stayed silent, until she let out her answer.

"I don't know, I wasn't planning on thinking about that for another _five months_."

"Five months? Wait, Sophia, you don't know his name. Please tell me you're joking, a sick joke but please- tell me that's so."

Sophia broke from his grip.

"No Anton; really. I don't know. And to be honest…"- she reached for his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"I don't know the gender either."

And just like that, a pregnant pause erupted between everyone at the station. Birds tweeting, factories at work and gossip from the other side was the only source of noise, until a stuttered response was spoken.

"Sophia. Are you… are you-?"

"Yes Anton. I'm pregnant."

And then the beat dropped, the crowds once again let out a gasp that if put into words, would've been translated as 'Oh my god; that we did not know!'

In a matter of five seconds, Anton once more embraced Sophia and once again; he cried. She cried too, and then sniffles from the crowds could be heard before an eruption of cheers could be heard from great distances.

He didn't know this, but Nigel was there in the crowds, smiling. And so was Maria…

* * *

**1 Year Later**

* * *

"Uwaaahhhh!" a loud cry could be heard in the dark bedroom. To the right of the noise's location was a king size bed, holding two familiar figures.

"Ngh! An..Anton; it's your turn to feed her." A female voice sleepily spoke as she shuffled from lying in Anton's embrace. The man himself slowly shuffled out from under the warm sheets.

"M'kay. Don't worry, I'm up." He dizzily got up and walked over to the cot where a beautiful baby girl lay in a baby suit with an 'M' stitched on the middle.

"Calm down _Maria_, you're hungry, aren't you?" Anton picked up the little girl and reached for her bottle. Sitting down on the bed, he let her snatch the bottle, and with his support- let her happily drink some of the warm milk that was inside the container.

"She's just like you, you know…" Sophia yawned as she blindly crawled over to the duo.

"She's happy with the little things in life. And she has the little curls starting here" she pointed to Maria's head, where curls were forming in her hair.

Her blonde haired husband smiled as he wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"That may be so, but she has her mother's smile and when she grows up, she's going to charm the world with that same smile."

Sophia took a moment to register what she said, and smiled. "And as she grows up, she's going to be strong. Like her father."

The couple smiled and leaned in close, giving each other a warm, passionate kiss on the lips. And it would've been longer, but…

"Uwaaahhh!"

* * *

**End.**

**So yes, this is what I come up with when I should be doing homework. Anyway, I skipped dialogue at some points, I know, don't hate me for it.**

**Maria (the older woman)- can you guess whose descendant (great grandmother?) she is? (OC in all honesty… but I think she really helped this story, and yes, Anton and Sophia named their kid after Maria, so Anton must've told Sophia the story of how he got there at some point, and Sophia must've told Anton why she wanted to leave- but as for any action taken to try and save the village, I'll let you decide.).**

**Freddie- Frederich Herzen/Mr Beluga... /just thought I'd tell you guys in case you didn't know/.**

**I haven't specifically said where the three Herzen's were a year later- since I didn't think it'd be realistic for Dropstone to already be created in less than a year and be fully functional!**

**Like I said before; there are loose ends to this fic, some things will be confusing- so try not to focus on them. Just focus on what is said!**

**As for the new Duke or ruler of Folsence… um- I DON'T KNOW! You decide. My brain's tired from all this thinking- so review, fave or follow this fic… and I hope you enjoyed it.**


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